Research Summary

Dr. Rhoads' background and scholarly work spans the full cancer continuum from basic science (endothelial cell regulation and angiogenesis); to clinical care as a colorectal surgeon; through health services research in cancer disparities; and training in health policy (as a California Endowment Scholar in Health Policy at Harvard (2005-2006), and as the inaugural UCSF Philip R. Lee Fellow in Health Policy (2007-2008)). She has formal training in community organizing at the Center for Third World Organizing in Oakland, California; and Community Based Participatory Research as a member of the first cohort of academic-community partnership teams trained by the California Breast Cancer Research Program. Before joining the faculty at UCSF, Rhoads founded the Community Outreach and Engagement program for the Stanford Cancer Institute. Rhoads views community engagement and institutional partnerships as substantive pathways to promote health equity and eliminate cancer disparities.

Research Funding

  • September 24, 2021 - June 30, 2026 - Research Coordinating Center to Reduce Disparities in Multiple Chronic Diseases (RCC RD-MCD) , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: U24MD017250
  • April 1, 2012 - March 31, 2014 - The quality of care in minority serving hospitals explains cancer disparities , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R21CA161786

Education

University of California, Berkeley, BA, 12/1991, Linguistics 
University of California, Berkeley (Joint Medical Program with UC San Francisco), MS, 06/1996, Health & Medical Sciences
University of California, San Francisco, MD, 06/1998, Medicine
University of California, San Francisco, Residency, 06/2005, General Surgery
Harvard University School of Public Health, MPH, 06/2006, Healthcare Policy & Management

Honors & Awards

  • 1998
    Nusz-Galante Award for outstanding medical students, UCSF
  • 1998
    Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor society, UCSF
  • 2002
    House staff research award, Department of Surgery, UCSF
  • 2002
    House staff award for compassion in care Department of Surgery, UCSF

Selected Publications

  1. Hun Kwak J, Mackin LA, Block A, Paul SM, Cooper BA, Abbott M, Chang SM, Hammer MJ, Kober KM, Levine JD, Pozzar R, Rhoads KF, Snowberg KE, Tsai KK, Van Blarigan EL, Van Loon K, Miaskowski C. Risk Factors for a Higher Symptom Burden in Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2023 Aug 17; 50(5):647-664.  View on PubMed
  2. Sudat SEK, Wesson P, Rhoads KF, Brown S, Aboelata N, Pressman AR, Mani A, Azar KMJ. Racial Disparities in Pulse Oximeter Device Inaccuracy and Estimated Clinical Impact on COVID-19 Treatment Course. Am J Epidemiol. 2023 05 05; 192(5):703-713.  View on PubMed
  3. Greenberg AL, Brand NR, Zambeli-Ljepovic A, Barnes KE, Chiou SH, Rhoads KF, Adam MA, Sarin A. Exploring the complexity and spectrum of racial/ethnic disparities in colon cancer management. Int J Equity Health. 2023 04 14; 22(1):68.  View on PubMed
  4. Borno HT, Zhang L, Zhang S, Lin TK, Skafel A, Nieves E, Dornsife D, Johnson R, Rhoads K, Small E, Spicer D. Implementation of a Multisite Financial Reimbursement Program in Cancer Clinical Trials Integrated With Patient Navigation: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. JCO Oncol Pract. 2022 06; 18(6):e915-e924.  View on PubMed
  5. Borno HT, Lin TK, Zhang S, Skafel A, Lalanne A, Dornsife D, Johnson R, Spicer D, Small EJ, Rhoads KF. Accelerating cancer clinical trial recruitment through a financial reimbursement program integrated with patient navigation: an interrupted time series analysis. J Cancer Policy. 2021 12; 30:100305.  View on PubMed
  6. Miaskowski C, Paul SM, Snowberg K, Abbott M, Borno HT, Chang SM, Chen LM, Cohen B, Cooper BA, Hammer MJ, Kenfield SA, Kober KM, Laffan A, Levine JD, Pozzar R, Rhoads K, Tsai KK, Van Blarigan EL, Van Loon K. Loneliness and symptom burden in oncology patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cancer. 2021 09 01; 127(17):3246-3253.  View on PubMed
  7. Miaskowski C, Paul SM, Snowberg K, Abbott M, Borno H, Chang S, Chen LM, Cohen B, Hammer MJ, Kenfield SA, Kober KM, Levine JD, Pozzar R, Rhoads KF, Van Blarigan EL, Van Loon K. Stress and Symptom Burden in Oncology Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2020 Nov; 60(5):e25-e34.  View on PubMed
  8. Rocque GB, Lennes IT, Rhoads KF, Yu PP. Quality Improvement at the Health System Level: Measurement, Risk Stratification, Disparity Populations, and Governance. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2019 Jan; 39:388-398.  View on PubMed
  9. Schoppy DW, Rhoads KF, Ma Y, Chen MM, Nussenbaum B, Orosco RK, Rosenthal EL, Divi V. Measuring Institutional Quality in Head and Neck Surgery Using Hospital-Level Data: Negative Margin Rates and Neck Dissection Yield. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 11 01; 143(11):1111-1116.  View on PubMed
  10. Mahal AS, Rhoads KF, Elliott CS, Sokol ER. Inappropriate oophorectomy at time of benign premenopausal hysterectomy. Menopause. 2017 Aug; 24(8):947-953.  View on PubMed
  11. Divi V, Chen MM, Nussenbaum B, Rhoads KF, Sirjani DB, Holsinger FC, Shah JL, Hara W. Lymph Node Count From Neck Dissection Predicts Mortality in Head and Neck Cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2016 11 10; 34(32):3892-3897.  View on PubMed
  12. Cloyd JM, Huang L, Ma Y, Rhoads KF. Predictors of readmission to non-index hospitals after colorectal surgery. Am J Surg. 2017 Jan; 213(1):18-23.  View on PubMed
  13. Hernandez-Boussard TM, McDonald KM, Morrison DE, Rhoads KF. Risks of adverse events in colorectal patients: population-based study. J Surg Res. 2016 05 15; 202(2):328-34.  View on PubMed
  14. Divi V, Ma Y, Rhoads KF. Regional variation in head and neck cancer mortality: Role of patient and hospital characteristics. Head Neck. 2016 04; 38 Suppl 1:E1896-902.  View on PubMed
  15. Rhoads K, Dohan D. Knowing it When You See it: The Need for Continuing Innovation in Research on Healthcare Discrimination. J Gen Intern Med. 2015 Oct; 30(10):1387-8.  View on PubMed
  16. Cloyd JM, Chen J, Ma Y, Rhoads KF. Association Between Weekend Discharge and Hospital Readmission Rates Following Major Surgery. JAMA Surg. 2015 Sep; 150(9):849-56.  View on PubMed
  17. Rhoads KF, Patel MI, Ma Y, Schmidt LA. Reply to M.H. Kanter et al. J Clin Oncol. 2015 Oct 20; 33(30):3519.  View on PubMed
  18. Chen JC, Shaw JD, Ma Y, Rhoads KF. The role of the hospital and health care system characteristics in readmissions after major surgery in California. Surgery. 2016 Feb; 159(2):381-8.  View on PubMed
  19. Cloyd JM, Chen JC, Ma Y, Rhoads KF. Is weekend discharge associated with hospital readmission? J Hosp Med. 2015 Nov; 10(11):731-7.  View on PubMed
  20. Huang LC, Tran TB, Ma Y, Ngo JV, Rhoads KF. Factors that influence minority use of high-volume hospitals for colorectal cancer care. Dis Colon Rectum. 2015 May; 58(5):526-32.  View on PubMed

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